To: Computer Geeks : lzlstcroavt & Activate Desktop

[Nick]

I know there have been a few computer whizzes lurking here from time to time and hope one of you might know somrthing about this recent Microsoft 'upgrade' to Internet Explorer.

I run Windows XP home edition.

A couple months ago, an automatic XP upgrade from microsoft came to me and it made these changes to my desktop and Internet Explorer. There now is a new bar near the top of my IE browser screen which contains a Search box and several buttons for topics like Free Game, Game Cheats, Free Music, Adult Chat, and various other totaly useless items. Actually, these selections change and vary from time to time, apparetnly depending on what web page I am at. There is also a new icon on my desk top labled 'Activate Desktop' which, when clicked, brings up a small version of the same kind of selections but without invoking the browser.

I consider the whole mess an unwelcome addition to my desktop and browser, in that it gives me no new choices and takes up real estate on my browser screen. I can remove this extra selection bar by right clicking on it and de-selecting something called 'lzlstcroavt'. But I cannot make this permanent. It always reappears when I invoke my browser again. I imagine this crap is just another attempt by Microsoft to try to stear me into their preferred websites.

Does anyone know how to remove this stuff or at least permanently keep it from attaching itself to my browser? Suprisingly, the excellent searchengine 'Google' shows no hits on lzlstcroavt.

Thanks,

Nick

[Wake up CALL]

I don't believe this was an official Microsoft upgrade, in fact I am quite sure of this.

Try going to your control panel and click on add/remove programs. Methinks you will see a program that has attached itself to your toolbar. Several other downloads cause this to happen, ie: Some E-Bay buyer/seller software, Gator, Weatherbug and often just casual surfing to renegade websites if your security protocols are set too low.

If you are not sure if a certain program belongs on your PC post back here before deleting it. Better safe than sorry! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[adios]

I deleted IE from my machine and use Mozilla (it's free) instead. Not sure if that would help for this problem but I like it a lot better.

[brad]

wakeupcall is right. (ugh /images/graemlins/smile.gif )

nonsense names like that are usually trojans, mostly spyware.

http://security.kolla.de/

download spybot search and destroy.

run it and it should get rid of all that crap.

note that spyware stuff is not same as virus and so virus scanner wont find them.

p.s. some shareware wont work without the spyware, i would just uninstall it, use something else.

[BruceZ]

Microsoft makes all of its necessary updates to XP available on its website. You can enable an option to have it inform you when updates are available if it is not enabled already, and this is done directly from the windows update icon at the lower right corner of your desktop, not via email. Never install or run any program you receive via email from an unkown source. Even if it says it's from someone you know like Microsoft, that is very often a hijacked email address. I get stuff from hijacked addresses every day. If you have spyware running, that may even masquerade as a legitimate Microsoft upgrade.